Damon Jones Will Plead Guilty in NBA Betting Case

Former NBA player and coach Damon Jones is changing his plea to guilty in the federal case that claims he sold inside information to gamblers.

Prosecutors alleged that the gamblers then placed bets with advance knowledge of which NBA players would be available, including LeBron James.

Jones had pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each charge could result in up to 20 years in prison, and prosecutors also want he and the other defendants to be required to forfeit any ill-gotten gains. 

It was not immediately clear Thursday afternoon what he was pleading guilty to. A spokesperson for the Eastern District of New York declined to comment, and the attorney for Jones did not respond to requests for comment. 

Jones, who played 11 years in the NBA and earned a total of close to $22 million, was named in two October indictments as part of a sprawling federal investigation into both sports betting and an allegedly rigged poker scheme. 

Across both cases, there were 34 arrests. Jones initially pleaded not guilty in both, but he’s changing his plea in the sports betting case, according to the court docket. 

Jones represents the first of six defendants charged in the sports betting case to plead guilty. Terry Rozier, who was also named in that indictment and has pleaded not guilty, was waived by the Heat last week.

There will be an in-person change of plea hearing for Jones on April 28, according to the docket. Before his guilty plea, Jones was scheduled to appear in court on June 11 for a status hearing. Judge Ramon Reyes, who is presiding over Jones and Chauncey Billups case, has told federal prosecutors he wants to start a trial for it on Nov. 2. 

Jones is accused of providing nonpublic information about players’ health status multiple times, including at least two instances involving James, both when he was an “unofficial assistant coach” with the Lakers. 

The first incident took place in January 2023, when Jones allegedly told an unnamed co-conspirator that a team trainer had informed him that two players—including James—would not play. James ended up playing that night, the Lakers won, and Jones was asked to repay the $2,500 he was allegedly paid to provide the information. The second incident took place in February 2023, when James missed a game against the Bucks due to injury. That morning, Jones texted a co-conspirator suggesting a bet on Milwaukee because a particular player—context makes clear it was James—would be out. The Bucks won 115–106.

James has not been accused of anything, and there has been no evidence suggesting any involvement in either scheme. 

Jones was also named in the indictment alleging he and others—including Billups—were involved in a series of Mafia-backed poker games that were allegedly rigged. Jones pleaded not guilty in that case, and as of Thursday afternoon there was no change of plea on the docket.